Missing You
by Kate Beckett's Golden Snitch
Summary: Her daughter was sick, and it didn't help that he was on a book tour. R&R :*
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Thank you all for the responses on my other stories, I'm glad you all like them. Most of the stories I post I wrote a while ago, so I have a few stories I can post at the moment. Read and review, hope you enjoy!**

Beckett sighed, rubbing her eyes and looking over to the sleeping toddler on the sofa. She hated when Castle had to go on book tours. She knew Hunter hated it too. Her baby girl was definitely daddy's little sweet pea, and she never liked being away from him for a second. But Beckett missed him even more then her daughter. She missed the soft caress of his hand across her face when she came home from work every day. When he was away, she would drop Hunter off at her dads or with Alexis. The two and a half year old would always cry when she left, breaking Beckett's heart every time. She looked like an angel when she was sleeping. Beckett smiled gently and moved over to sit next to the girl. She rubbed her forehead gently, wincing at the abnormal heat. Hunter had begun to run a fever early that afternoon, causing Beckett to come pick up a cranky, sick toddler hours earlier then usual from a profusely apologizing Alexis. God, she needed Castle. He always knew exactly what to do when someone was sick. Sure, she was a cop. She knew how to deal with this kind of thing. But Castle just made them feel so much better, somehow.

Hunter stirred gently, turning towards her mother and slightly opening her eyes. "Momma?" She whispered, and Beckett gently pulled her closer to her body. "Hey, sweetie." She said, gently running her hand through Hunters long, curly brown hair. "How about we take you up to bed?" The little girl's eyes filled with tears. "Wanna stay with you." She murmured, and the detective sighed, adjusting the girl in her arms. "You still have a fever, Hun. We gotta get you some antibiotics to make you feel better." Hunter nuzzled her face gently into Beckett's chest, a habit she had had since birth. "Come on, Hun. You can sleep in Momma's bed tonight." Standing up, she balanced her daughter on her hip and moved to walk upstairs. The little girl coughed gently, eyelids fluttering shut again. Beckett could feel the heat radiating off Hunters body, and, taking a deep breath, turning around and sat back down on the couch. She couldn't do it. Her baby girl would not be left alone when she was sick. Hunter was not leaving her mothers arms. Not tonight. Suddenly, she felt something inside of her break, and then tears began to fall down her cheeks. She needed Castle. Reaching for her phone, she pressed her first speed dial and held the device to her ear. Three rings and his voice mail picked up. "Hey, this is Richard Castle. If you're hearing this, it probably means I'm rocking my baby to sleep, helping my wife solve a crime, or writing a bunch of books. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible." Beckett took a deep breath, and tried desperately to contain herself. She didn't want Castle to worry. "Hey, it's Kate." She began, hoping that he wouldn't hear the pain in her voice. "When you have time, could you please give me a call? I really need to talk to you. Love you." After she hung up, she pressed the next speed dial and prayed that the person on the other line would pick up. Sure enough, a sleepy voice could be heard on the other side of the line. "Hello?" "Lanie. I need you."


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you all for the overwhelming response for this story! So many of you have requested updates, so here you are. This ones short and a little fluffy, but I plan to post a bigger, better chapter hopefully later today. Enjoy!

Castle hated book tours. He hated everything about them, but especially leaving his family. Still Gina made him go on the stupid book tours. He yawned, looking out the window of his penthouse suite onto the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Pulling out his phone, he looked at the video Beckett had sent him earlier that day. Little Hunter had been lying on the couch, looking pale and tired but waving happily at the camera. "Say hi to daddy, sweetheart." Beckett's voice came from behind the camera, and she was sounding...different. Tired. Upset. Castle couldn't quite put his finger on it. Hunter coughed gently, then yawned and reached for the person behind the camera, and he could hear Beckett sigh gently. "I'm coming, baby girl." She said, and then the camera turned off. Castle sighed, leaning back in his chair. God, he missed them. He didn't want to lose time with his daughter, in case she would grow up as fast as Alexis. And then there was Beckett. She was in danger every day, and Castle's worst fear was getting a solemn visit from Ryan and Esposito carrying the worst news. Everything about going away seemed wrong, and yet he still did it. He promised himself this was the last time, that there would be no more book tours without his family, ever.

A rapping knock on his hotel room door startled him, and Gina's voice floated through the walls. "Five minutes till we need to get going for the meet and greet. Be ready." Castle groaned quietly, putting a finger to his temple. The last time, he promised himself, the last time.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Look, I'm finally updating! I personally don't like this chapter, it feels a little too fluffy for me, but I hope you all enjoy it! R&R, love you all.**

"So how long has she been running a fever?" A yawning Lanie asked, feeling the sleeping toddlers forehead. Beckett sniffed, pulling her legs up to her chest and leaning back against the couch. "Going on twelve hours." She murmured, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. "I'm really sorry that I called you at three in the morning. I just really needed-" Lanie held up her hand as she took an ear thermometer out of her bag. "Don't sweat it, sweetie. You're worried about your baby." The thermometer beeped, and the medical examiner looked at the small display. "103.5. Hunter's definitely caught a bug. Lots of fluids, and some children's Tylenol should do the trick." She gently laid the little girl down on the couch, and moved over to the detective. "This isn't just about Hunter, is it?" When Beckett didn't answer, she moved closer and put her arm around her. "You're missing him." "I need him, Lanie. Hunter needs him. I can't handle her when she's sick. She breaks me." "How long does he still have on this tour?" "Three weeks." Beckett's lip quivered gently, and Lanie tightened her grip around the brunette's shoulders. "Whenever I call him it always goes to voicemail. I just wanna hear him, Lanie. So he can convince me that I'm somewhat sane." She let out a bitter laugh, and her friend pulled away gently. "Sweetie, I think you're exhausted." She said, and Beckett frowned, looking down at her sleeping daughter. "I'll be fine." "You have to take care of yourself." Lanie smiled sadly at her, taking her hand and stroking it gently. "I would stay and watch Hunter for you but I have morgue duty in first thing this morning." "It's fine." Beckett replied, moving closer towards Hunter. She scooped her up gently into her arms and held her gently, her eyes filling with tears. "God, Lanie, I don't know what's gotten into me lately. I'm just so emotional." She gently kissed the feverish girl's forehead, and looked back up into the medical examiner's eyes. "You're probably overtired." Lanie stated, her forehead creasing slightly as she frowned. "How about you put Hunter to bed, then get some rest yourself. And that's not an option, sweetie." The little girl shifted in Beckett's arms and whimpered quietly, causing a stab to detective's heart. "She's hurting. Is there anything I can do to help her?" "Unfortunately, the only thing is Tylenol and that won't work unless she's awake." Lanie replied, reaching over and gently rubbing Hunter's arm. "If Castle was here, he could make her laugh." Beckett sighed wistfully, still looking down into the toddlers sleeping face. "He would make a funny face and she would start giggling and then he would and then I'd join in." Tears were then falling heavily down her cheeks, landing on Hunter's pajama top. "He would hold her tight and tell her stories and rock her back and forth and make her forget that she was sick." She gasped slightly, regaining some breath, and held Hunter closer. "He's gone for another three weeks, Lanie. Three whole weeks that I can't see him, feel him, watch him be an amazing father." "I know, sweetie." Lanie murmured, putting a consoling arm around Beckett and pulling her tight again. "Let's get you and Hunter settled for the night, just here, on the sofa. You probably don't want to leave her now, anyways." "Mm." Beckett nodded, yawning gently and pulling a throw blanket from behind the couch to put over them. Lanie smiled slightly. "You sleep. Understand?" Beckett nodded again, lying down on the couch and absentmindedly wiping away the remaining tears on her cheeks. She adjusted Hunter so she could lie next to her. "Thank you, Lanie. For coming to help me." "Anytime." The woman smiled, getting up from her seat and grabbing her jacket. "I gotta get going, but promise me you'll calm down and sleep a bit." Beckett nodded, yawning again as exhaustion began to overwhelm her and her eyes began to shut.

"Oh, and one more thing." Lanie turned around before opening the door to the loft. "Take the day off tomorrow. You'll benefit, and so will your baby." "Alright, Lanie." Beckett whispered, and, with her arms wrapped protectively around Hunter, began to fall into the depths of sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

_Finally an update! Still pretty fluffy, but I hope you guys enjoy it!_

It had been a long day. Two book signings and a fancy-shmancy dinner later, and he was sitting in his hotel room, reading a James Patterson novel. Well, at least trying to wanted to call Beckett so badly, but it was almost four-thirty in New York, and he didn't want to wake her or the baby. Castle smiled gently, thinking about the last time he had tucked his daughter into her bed. She had been such a fussy little baby when she had been born, and he remembered Beckett had had a hard time adjusting to having a little human around.

_******:-:-:-:**_

_"Kate?" Castle pushed the bedroom door open, frowning as he saw his wife sitting on their bed, cradling a sobbing little Hunter in her arms. He grew more concerned when he saw the tears pouring down Beckett's cheeks, and moved to sit next to her. "What's wrong, love?"_

_"S-she won't sleep!" The detective cried, and Castle, in turn, gently took Hunter and held her close to his chest._

_"Shhhh, Hun, you and mommy need some rest." He crooned, looking up and smiling gently at Beckett, who wiped her eyes gently and tried to smile back. The little girl's cries started to fade to whimpers, her watery eyes looking up into her fathers._

_"There we go, good girl." Castle whispered, and he passed Hunter back to her mother. Beckett sniffed, looking into the little girl's face._

_"Why won't she settle down with me?"_

_"She's only two months old, Kate. She's fussy."_

_"But you can always get her quiet." She sighed, adjusting the baby to one arm and leaning into Castle's chest. "Am I doing something wrong?" Her face had fallen considerably, and it was breaking Castle's heart. _

_"No, sweetheart, Hunter loves you. You're her mommy." He put her arm around her and pulled her in closer._

_"She just doesn't wanna sleep because she wants to stay with you." Kate snorted._

_"That's bullshit, Rick. But thanks." She kissed him gently, and he smiled, stroking his daughter's cheek._

_"You're an amazing mother, Kate. You really are. And look at this amazing little creature we made." Castle put his thumb in Hunter's little palm, and she clutched it eagerly, her face scrunched in concentration. "Don't forget that, okay?" He kissed Beckett's cheek, and she smiled gently. "Okay." She replied, pulling the baby close as she leaned in for another kiss._

:-:-:-:

Being away from them was so hard. He was so close to calling a cab and jumping on a plane back home. Everything around Castle reminded him of his family. Even that day, at the early morning book signing, a woman holding a baby around Hunter's age had appeared in front of the signing table. Halfway through his signature, the toddler began to wail, and the woman, looking rather embarrassed, had apologized to Castle. He had smiled and told the woman that it was quite alright, that he had a daughter at home that was around that age. A wave of homesickness had overcome him, and he had had to leave for several minutes. God, he wanted to be at home helping her get to sleep. He wouldn't care if she was bawling half the night. He just wanted little Hunter. And Beckett. He wanted her so badly. That was it. He couldn't do this anymore. Picking up his phone, he dialed Gina's number. When she picked up, he began immediately. "I'm getting on the next flight home, Gina. I don't care about the tour. I need my family."

R&R, xoxo


	5. Chapter 5

Two hours. Two hours of sleep before she woke up to the sobs of a little burning up Hunter, and then Beckett was up. The toddler was very cranky, refusing to leave her mother's arms for two seconds, and on top of everything Beckett could feel the beginnings of a migraine coming on. At around seven-thirty, Ryan called her with a body drop, and she had sighed, pulling her daughter closer into her chest. "Count me out for this one, Kev." She murmured, brushing a stray hair out of her daughter's face.

"Hunter still under the weather?"

"She won't me put her down."

"Poor girl. Tell her that Uncle Kev says hi." Beckett smiled gently.

"I will, thanks. See you soon." She replied, and hung up the phone. Hunter shifted slightly in her lap, and the woman rubbed her back in slow circles.

"You still feeling yucky, sweetie?" The little girl nodded slightly, nudging her head into Beckett's chest. "I'm sorry, baby. I can't do anything else for you."

"Mummy." Hunter whispered almost silently, her hoarse voice making her sound a bit like a frog.

"Shhhh, sweetie. Try and get some sleep, it'll help you." The detective crooned, stroking the little girl's forehead and letting her fingers linger there. It was getting harder to look at her daughter, weak and hurting. She finally understood why Castle was so protective of Alexis. It was horrible having your baby feeling down. She could just remember how scared she was when she found out she was pregnant, how she had worried that she was endangering another human life by bringing it into the world.

_She had entered the loft quietly, praying that he would be asleep. The door clicked shut behind her, and a soft "Beckett?" made her groan quietly. No. Just give her one more day._

_"Hey, Castle." She sighed, running her hand through her long, tousled curls. He smiles, walking over to her and pulling her into a deep, soft kiss. She pulled away gently, her face slightly pale._

_"Hey." Castle frowned, looking into her hazel eyes, concerned. "Are you alright?"_

_"No, I'm not." She sighed, and immediately Castle was on her, feeling her forehead and leading her to the couch._

_"Are you sick? Hurt? Did something happen at the precinct?" She sat down, with him holding her hand tightly._

_"No, it's none of those. Promise." Beckett smiled gently, and squeezed his hand. "I just have a little problem."_

_"Then what is it? For gods sake, Kate, are you ok?" Tears had begun to run down her face, and Castle was beginning to careen into the early stages of a panic attack. She gently placed a small folded piece of paper in the palm of his free hand and leaned back gently. He unfolded it, looked at it, confused, then a glaze of realization came over his eyes._

_"You're pregnant?" He asked gently, and Beckett nodded in reply, looking back at her hands and blinking away tears. "Don't cry, sweetheart. This is amazing!" He pulled her into a tender embrace, and swept his lips across her forehead. She looked up at him, tears still shining from her cheeks._

_"Castle, I'm bringing a baby into our life. My life. My job risks my life everyday, and now I'm going to have another life to be responsible for?"_

_"Hey, hey." Castle shushed her gently. "You sound like you're going to be raising the baby alone. I'm not going to leave you, Katie. And I'm not clueless. I raised Alexis, and she didn't turn out half bad." A small, hysterical giggle escaped Beckett's lips, and he placed a tentative hand on her flat stomach._

_"We're going to have a baby." He whispered, his face lighting up with glee. " A real, live, baby."_

_"Yeah." Beckett murmured, and very slowly, she could feel fear begin to wash over her. She was actually doing this. She was actually going to have a baby._

"Mummy?" Hunter looked up at her mother and moved to sit against her chest.

"Yes, my monkey?" Beckett smiled gently, kissing the little girl's cheek. She yawned, clutching Beckett's thumb for comfort.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, and the woman smiled sadly at her daughter.

"It's not your fault, love. Don't apologize." A knock on the door interrupted the two, and Beckett adjusted the sleepy toddler so she was balanced on her hip. She moved to the door and opened it slowly, making sure not to jostle Hunter too much. Suddenly, she gasped and put a hand to her mouth.

"Castle?" She breathed.

**_AN: Sorry it took me so long to update, I've been really busy lately! I know, this chapter is again pretty fluffy. At least in the next chapter, we'll finally get some good Caskett-y fun. Xoxo_**


	6. Chapter 6

"Daddy!" Hunter exclaimed, suddenly wide awake as she squirmed towards Castle in Beckett's arms. A smile stretched across the writer's face, and he reached out to take his daughter from his wife's arms. Beckett stood still as stone, not believing what she saw.

"Hey, monkey." He said softly, running his hand through Hunter's hair gently. His face grew slightly concerned as he felt the abnormal heat coming from her body. "You're burning up, baby girl. We should get you to bed." The little girl rested her head against her father's shoulder, beginning to drift again. Castlw shifted his gaze to the detective, who was still standing in awe.

"They say it's rude to stare, detective." He joked quietly, moving closer to Beckett and taking her hand. "I've missed you so much."

"Why are you here?" The detective whispered. "The book tour-"

"Is cancelled." Castle said, his eyes lighting up considerably. "I'll explain after we get this munchkin to bed." With that stated, he walked into the house and frowned slightly as he saw the pile of pillows, blankets, and tissues that covered the couch. "How long has she been sick?"

"About a day." Beckett sighed, crossing her arms and following her husband. "A long, long day." Castle turned towards her, his frown growing. Hunter shifted against him, yawning gently. The writer moved his attention back down to the little girl, a smile reappearing on his face.

"You stay here. I'll bring Hunter up to bed and then we can talk." He leaned forward and kissed Beckett's forehead gently, and a slight shiver ran through her body. It had been a long time.

It was only after fifteen minutes when Castle came back down the stairs and smiled at Beckett, who was sitting on the couch, clutching a mug of coffee.

"She's asleep." He sighed, moving and sitting next to the woman on the couch. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here to help you, Kate. You must be so exhausted." He put an arm around her, and she obligingly leaned against his chest, exhaling gently.

"You'd have gotten a better greeting if I wasn't half asleep, Rick." She murmured, and he smiled gently.

"Seeing you is more then enough." He replied, brushing a stray hair out of her face. Beckett frowned, looking up at her husband.

"You need to explain why you're here and not on the tour."

"Couldn't do it." Castle replied simply. "I didn't want to be away from you two any longer."

Beckett groaned, pulling away from him. "That's sweet and all, Rick, but this is how you support our family. This is your job."

"My job isn't going on book tours." He said. "My job is writing. The meet and greets are all just extra tidbits." Looking at her closely, his face began to fall. "What's worrying you, Kate?"

"I don't know." She sighed, running a hand through her hair as she tried to ignore the tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. God, why was she crying?

"Just stress, I guess. I hate seeing Hunter like that."

Castle smiled sadly. "Don't cry, sweetheart." He murmured, pulling her into his chest as tears began to spill down her cheeks. "She's going to be fine. She's tough, like her mama. And overly dramatic, like her dad."

She let out a sniffly giggle, and yawned, wiping her eyes and relaxing into her husband's arms. "I think you need to get to bed, too." He said, rubbing her cheek gently. "You look pale."

"I'm just tired." Beckett mumbled, her voice thick with unshed tears as she turned sleepily against his chest. Castle smiled gently.

"You don't have to be the mommy around me. You can be the baby." She giggled gently, which turned into a yawn. He let out a quiet laugh and suddenly kissed her on the lips, somewhat hungrily.

"God, I missed you." He groaned gently, not taking his lips from her. Beckett kissed him back, and Castle pushed her back onto the sofa. She wrapped her legs around his torso, and moaned gently as his lips moved from her lips down her neck. She then pulled away gently, obviously using a lot of self control.

"Not tonight, Castle." She murmured, and he leaned away as well, smiling sadly. "Thought I'd try." He joked, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and climbing off of her gently. Beckett yawned softly, leaning back against the couch cushion. Castle smiled, taking a throw blanket and laying it gently over top of his wife.

"How about you sleep out here tonight?"

"I don't want to leave you tonight, though." Beckett mumbled, but Castle could already see her begin to fade. He sat down next to her, and gently moved her head onto his lap.

"You won't be." He whispered, running a hand over her forehead. She smiled gently, her eyes beginning to slip shut.

"Love you, Castle." She replied quietly, and he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Love you too."

**AN: Hope you liked this update. Still fluffy but I hope you don't mind, it should get better soon. Oh, and I know some of you might have been expecting a bigger Caskett reunion, but I really though that Beckett would just be SO TIRED...hehe**


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: Hey guys, I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated! To be honest, I've been really stressed, with coming and dance shows coming up. I also recently got a concussion, which hasn't helped anything. But I hope you all enjoy this chapter, once again it's pretty fluffy..._

_R&R xoxo_

When Castle woke up, he was covered by the blanket that he had placed on Beckett the night before, and there was a lack of a certain head on his lap. He frowned, rubbing his eyes with his fist. A piece of note paper on the coffee table caught his eye, and he stretching his arm, grabbing the scrap. It was a quickly scribbled letter addressed to him, and he recognized Beckett's handwriting immediately.

Rick,

Got a body drop this morning, needed by Espo and Ryan. Probably be at the precinct all day. Give Hunter a kids tylenol every 5 hours if she still has a fever. Love you forever,

Kate

Castle smiled gently, putting the note into his pocket carefully. He stood up and yawned again, moving to climb the stairs. The sounds of even breathing reached his ears, and he opened his daughter's door softly.

"Daddy?" Castle could see the outline of his footie pajama clad baby standing at the edge of her bed, holding onto the safety railings that kept her enclosed. His face brightened, and he knelt down to scoop up his daughter into his arms.

"Morning, Hun." She rubbed her eyes gently with her fist, just like her father, and leaned into his chest.

"Where's Momma?" Hunter mumbled, gently clinging to Castle's shirt. The writer smiled, brushing his finger over his daughter's smooth scalp.

"She had work early this morning, baby." He said softly, loosening her grip from the shirt and putting her onto his shoulders. Hunter laughed, wrapping her arms around her father's head and hugging him.

"Let's go get something to eat, Hun."

Beckett shivered, pulling her jacket tighter around her. It wasn't even a remarkably cold day, yet she was feeling like she was standing in a fridge. She hadn't wanted to work that day. Castle was finally back, her daughter was especially fragile, and she had gotten a call at four in the morning about a body drop in a rundown alley.

"Hey, Beckett." Ryan smiled, breaking her train of thought. "Didn't expect to see you here today."

Beckett half-smiled back at him. "Castle got back early last night, so Hunter has him." He raised his eyebrows, folding his arms.

"Missed you?" She nodded.

"I'm glad he's back. He's a lot better with Hunter when she's sick." Adjusting her floral scarf, she walked with Ryan towards the familiar flashing flights of a crime scene. "What've we got?"

"Caucasian female, mid thirties. It's a pretty bad one, just a warning." They rounded a corner, and Beckett smiled again as she crossed the yellow warning barrier.

"Hey, Lanie." The ME looked up, smiling and walking away from the body.

"Hey sweetie." She said, pulling the detective into a tight hug. "You ok? How's Hunter doing?"

"We're both doing better." Beckett sighed, pulling away from Lanie. "I'll tell you more later, now what have we got?"

"Bruising around the neck, looks like definite strangulation." The ME stated, moving back to the body. Beckett followed her, and got her first view of the unfortunate person. She saw the purple, green, and yellow specked bruising on the woman's neck, and on the top of the pale head were two, dark red slashes.

"That." Lanie said, pointing with her pen at the knife marks."Is post mordum."

Beckett frowned, kneeling to get a closer look. "Why would you do that after the person's already dead?" She murmured, brushing the victim's hair off of her forehead.

"Maybe to leave a message." Esposito frowned, kneeling beside Beckett. "Wallet was left beside her." He showed her a small, leather wallet in the palm of his gloved hand. "No cash, but a driver's license identifies her as Lola Ireland."

"See if you can get CSU to pull a print." Beckett replied, standing up and pulling out her phone as Esposito nodded and moved away. Lanie smiled gently.

"I know you're worried, hun, but a watched phone never rings."

"Do you think she's still sleeping?" The detective sighed, running a hand through her hair. She looked down at her phone to see no new messages. "God." She murmured.

"Sweetie, do you really think Castle doesn't know what to do? He did raise Alexis, you know." Beckett shrugged, and Lanie squeezed her hand softly.

"Now go back to the precinct, get a cup of coffee, and work on this case."

The detective let her face relax into a smile, and she pulled away from Lanie's gentle grasp.

"You're right." She said. She'd call at lunch.


	8. Chapter 8

_**AN: Sorry it took so long to update, I've been extremely busy with exams and dance and such. Still pretty fluffy, I apologize. Hope you guys enjoy it, though! **_

The little girl was sleeping, nestled in the crook of his arm. She sniffed gently, and moved closer to Castle's warm chest. God, he had missed cuddling his daughter. He could see changes in her that hadn't been there when he had left five weeks before. After breakfast that morning, he had given her some Tylenol, which had made her sleepy, but brought down the fever a bit. Hunter hadn't let her father put her down since she had woken up that morning. She had clung to his arm, and Castle could see her forcing herself to stay awake. The poor little girl had dark shadows under her eyes, and she was definitely less energetic then she usually was. He hated seeing his baby feeling that way, and, honestly, he didn't want to let her go. He never wanted to let her go.

_**He had walked downstairs at nine thirty in the morning to see Beckett sitting on the couch, hands pressed to her swollen stomach. Her eyes was squeezed shut and, judging from the look on her face, she was in a copious amount of pain. **_

**"Kate?" He quickened his pace down the stairs and was beside her in an instant. "Is something wrong? Is the baby okay?" She didn't answer, just bit her lip and shook her head slightly. Suddenly, her face visibly relaxed, and she opened her eyes, giving Castle a soft smile. **

**"Morning." She said quietly, and he took her hand gently. "I think we might have a new little member joining our family today." **

**Castle's eyes widened. "Are you having contractions?" When Beckett nodded, his concern grew. "Why didn't you tell me?"**

**"You needed the sleep." She murmured, and she grasped his hand, pain once again spreading over her features. **

**"Contraction?" Castle asked, putting an arm around his wife, and, as she nodded, he helped her up and began to walk towards the door. "We're going to the hospital. Judging by the time between those two contractions, you're probably getting pretty close." Beckett nodded again, the free hand pressed to her stomach almost protectively. **

**"It hurts, Castle." She whimpered, and he pressed his lips to her temple. **

**"We're going to meet our little girl, Kate." He whispered, and she smiled slightly, still clutching his hand with a vice like grip. "Our little mystery."**

**When Hunter Johannah Castle was born on December 18th, at 3:52 in the morning, Richard Castle fell in love all over again. He stroked her soft, light brown hair that covered her little head and smiled as she opened her bright blue eyes. "Hey, beautiful." He murmured, and let her tiny hand wrap around his finger. "You look a lot like mommy, you know that?" His gaze moved over to Beckett, who was sleeping peacefully in her hospital bed. **

**It had been a long day for her. For them all. Soon after the two had arrived at the hospital, the baby had gone into distress, causing Beckett's blood pressure to rise. She had been rushed into an emergency c-section, and he been sitting in the waiting room for what seemed like hours, everything that could possibly go wrong running through his head. When a nurse finally called his name and told him, with a smile, that everything had gone fine and both his daughter and wife were going to be okay, hot tears had spilled down his cheeks and he had begun to bawl like a baby. **

**The little girl shifted slightly in his arms, and she yawned, scrunching her face gently. "I bet your big sister can't wait to meet you." Castle whispered, completely enamored by the little girl. **

**"Castle?" He looked up to see Beckett, awake, looking at him with sleepy eyes. **

**"Kate." The man moved very slowly from his seat to sit next to his wife on her bed. "There's someone who I think would like to meet you." Beckett blinked and smiled gently, still looking extremely tired. **

**"Let me see her." She whispered, holding out her arm to take the baby. Castle laid Hunter beside her mother gently, and Beckett put a hand to the little girl's smooth, red face. **

**"She's really here." He nodded, and as tired as she was, the look on her face was complete and utter joy. "And she's okay?" **

**"Perfect." Castle kissed her cheek gently and placed a hand on their daughter's tiny chest. "Six pounds, three ounces, twenty inches exactly. Smaller then Alexis was." **

**"So beautiful." Beckett said faintly, and he smiled at her. She was still completely in awe. "Hunter Johannah." **

**Castle rubbed her arm gently. "Our little girl."**

"Daddy?" Hunter yawned, opening her eyes and looking up at Castle with tired eyes. He smiled at her, adjusting her so that she was sitting in his arms.

"Hey, big girl." The writer kissed her forehead gently, and rubbed the little girl's back. "You feeling a little better?" Hunter nodded, and leaned against her father's chest. Castle chuckled gently as his phone began to vibrate.

"Hello?" He said, picking up the phone and supporting his daughter with one arm.

"Castle." Ryan's voice sounded very serious over the phone, and his next words made Castle's heart stop.

"You need to come to Presbyterian. It's Beckett. She was shot."

_**AN: Ooooooooo, cliffhanger (sorta!) Reviews inspire me to write more, faster. Love you all!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**_AN: Thank you all so much for the amazing response to the last chapter! You guys are all amazing and you inspire me to write more. _**

**_Hope you all enjoy this chapter, xoxo_**

He had only been sitting in the waiting room for a minute before a very distraught Kevin Ryan appeared around the corner of the room. Castle stood up, a burst of anger running through his terrified body.

"What the hell happened?" He said in a low voice, standing up and moving towards the detective.

Ryan took a deep breath, his bright blue eyes looking into Castle's face.

"We were going to pick up a suspect, and the door was partially open. Beckett went in first, and then shots rang out and she was down." He ran a trembling hand through his hair. "She's in surgery right now." The detective looked back at Castle, still looking rather pale and shaken. "I'm sorry, but I have to go file a report at the precinct and question this son of a bitch."

"Go. Get him." The writer said, sitting back down in the chair. "I'll be here for a while."

She had come out of surgery after almost three hours, and Castle had finally been able to practically bombard a nurse and ask her how she was. The nurse had reassured him that the surgery had been successful, that they had removed the bullets and that Beckett would be okay. He had found out that she had been shot twice, once in the upper shoulder and once in the lower arm. Her shoulder was the worst, as the bullet had broken it in two places and had torn multiple ligaments. Her lower arm had been fractured pretty badly, but they had managed to place a pin in it, and it would hopefully heal in around five weeks. Beckett's shoulder, however, would take at least eight to ten weeks to fully heal, not including physical therapy. But she was going to be okay. With each breath Castle took, he repeated the words in his head.

He was only allowed to see her after she had woken up and talked to the doctor, so he was stuck waiting for another two hours before he could see Beckett. Finally, after a doctor had come out, smiling and beckoning him in, saying that she had been asking for him, he got to go to her room.

When Castle walked in, the sight of Beckett, alive, made him smile. She was as pale as the sheet she was leaning against, her entire arm was covered in white plaster and complete with a sling, and yet Castle had never seen her looking any more beautiful.

"Kate." He breathed gently, and he was beside her, kissing her good hand and stroking her hair. "God, Kate, you scared me so badly."

"Sorry." The detective said weakly, shifting to face Castle and wincing slightly. The writer's face grew concerned, but Beckett waved him off gently. "It just hurts to move right now. I'll be okay." She gently took Castle's hand and squeezed it. "I'll be okay."

"I was so worried, Kate." He murmured, and, as hard as he tried, tears began to escape his eyes. "I thought you were dead. I actually thought you were dead, and Hunter wasn't going to have a mother and I wasn't going to have you..." His voice caught in his throat as he thought about his daughter, his baby girl, growing up without Beckett around.

"I'm okay, though." She mumbled, rubbing the top of Castle's hand with her finger. He looked up at her, his eyes full of sadness.

"No, you're not. You were shot." He held her hand even tighter, clutching it like a lifeline. "Twice."

"I know that, Rick." The detective groaned, and Castle could begin to see the pain of the ordeal on her face. He placed his lips gently on her forehead, being mindful of her bad side. God, she was the one comforting him. She was the one who could have died that day.

"Looks like I'll be on desk duty for a while." Beckett sighed, and Castle pulled away slightly.

"You'll be the best desk duty officer there." He joked quietly, and Beckett's face cracked into a gentle smile. "Besides, it's only for a few months. Then your arm'll be good as new." To his surprise, she shied back, leaning farther back into her pillow.

"Oh, I don't know." She looked down at her cast, furrowing her eyebrows. "The doctor told me it could be at least a year."

The writer's eyes widened. "A year? I thought...but the surgery had gone well!"

Beckett took a deep breath. "The doctors recommended I take time off. They don't want me to get stressed, it could damage things." She looked up at her husband, and he could see some kind of strange emotion behind her eyes which he couldn't quite pinpoint. "How's Hunter?"

"She's doing better. Her fever's gone down. Worried about you, started crying for you when I left her with Alexis."

"She really is sweet." The detective sighed gently, pulling her hospital blanket up slightly with her good hand. "I bet she'll be a great big sister." Castle smiled.

"Yeah, she sure will-" He stopped suddenly, and his eyes almost popped out of his head. Beckett was biting her lip, trying very hard not to break into a smile.

"I'm pregnant." She said softly, placing a hand on her abdomen. "Found out after surgery. I'm almost ten weeks along." The writer moved his gaze down to her stomach, surprised to see a slight bump protruding.

"Did you think you might have been...earlier?" She shook her head, several stray hairs falling into her face.

"Would I be here if I did?" The detective replied, and she suddenly caught her breath. "Oh my god."

"What? What's wrong?" Castle was standing in a second. "Are you hurting? Is something wrong with the baby?"

"Something could have been." Tears began to fall down her cheeks, and it was obvious she was flying into a panic attack. "I could have died. Castle, our baby could have died, all because I was too stupid to notice the signs."

"Oh, no, no, Kate." He sat back down, taking her good hand and putting his free one on her stomach, feeling a flutter of excitement as he felt the slight roundness. "You're not stupid. There is nothing you could have done to prevent getting shot."

"But our baby-"

"-is perfectly fine." She hiccuped gently, and Castle gently brushed her tears off of her cheeks with his thumb. "What happened happened, and now we can just move forward." He kissed her forehead again, his face full of joy.

"I can't wait to meet this new little human that we created."

_**AN: Yay, she's not dead and she's pregnant! Little Hunter's gonna be a big sister! I wouldn't kill off Beckett, I couldn't do it morally. Hope you all enjoyed it, reviews make my day so much better! Love you all.**_


	10. Chapter 10

"Remember, Hunter, we need to be very gentle around Mommy." Castle reminded his daughter quietly. The little girl nodded, leaning against her father's chest. "I wanna see Mommy." She whined softly, and he smiled gently at her.

"She's just in that room at the end of the hall." He said, pointing down the hospital hallway to a room that he knew was the recovery ward. "But we have to be very quiet when we see her, okay?"

The little girl sighed, her eyes focused on the room she now knew her mother was in. "Okay, Daddy." She replied, and Castle held onto her extra tightly as they reached the room.

When they entered, Hunter's face lit up completely as she spotted Beckett sitting in her hospital bed. "Mommy!" She stage-whispered, and she began to squirm in her father's arms. Castle put her down, and she ran across the room and scrambled up onto Beckett's bed.

"Mommy." Hunter repeated, nestling into the detective's good shoulder. Beckett smiled, stroking her little girl's long hair.

"Hey, baby." She said softly, and she giggled as Hunter tightened her grip on her mother. "It's only three days, have you really missed me that much?"

"Too long." Her daughter mumbled, and she suddenly felt a longing to just hold Hunter, to never let her go.

"I think so too, Hun." Beckett replied gently, pulling the little girl into her chest. She looked up at Castle, who had taken his usual perch on the chair beside the bed.

"Thanks for bringing her today." The writer smiled gently at his wife, watching her cradle their little girl.

"She was asking for you all of yesterday and this morning." He told her. "I promised her as soon as you were cleared for visitors, she could see you."

"I love her so much." Beckett murmured, her gaze back on her daughter. "God, I missed you, baby." She kissed Hunter's forehead gently, and smiled at the curled up body leaning against her.

"How're you feeling today?" Castle asked her, putting a hand on Hunter's back. She shrugged with her good shoulder.

"They say the shock's wearing off a little, but that makes it more painful. All I know is that I'm on a lot of medication right now."

"Anything about the baby?"

"They did a quick ultrasound this morning when you went to go get Hunter." Beckett replied, starting to gently stroke her daughter's hair again. "The doctor says that everything looks fine." She sighed, and Castle could see that she was obviously extremely exhausted.

"You haven't gotten much sleep." He stated, and she nodded, yawning gently. Hunter patted her mother's face to get her attention, and Beckett moved from Castle's slightly concerned gaze to smile down at her daughter.

"You okay, Mommy?" The little girl said, furrowing her eyebrows in a very Beckett-like fashion.

"I'm okay, love." Beckett replied, leaning back against the lifted pillows. "Just tired."

"What's that?" Hunter asked, curiously pointing at her mother's large, white cast and sling. Beckett sighed gently.

"It helps hold my bones still so that they'll heal." She replied, yawning again. Castle could see her eyes beginning to glaze over with pain, and his concern grew.

"I think that's enough for today, Hun." He said gently, reaching and pulling his daughter into his lap. Hunter pouted, crossing her arms in a very Beckett-like fashion.

"I wanna stay with Mommy!" She exclaimed as Castle stood up and moved her to his hip.

"Mommy needs to get some sleep right now, sweetie." He smiled at Beckett, who had leaned back against her mound of pillows again, her extreme exhaustion getting progressively more obvious. "It'll help her get better faster, then she can come home faster."

Hunter's bottom lip shook, and she reached for her mother.

"Let me have her for a second." Beckett said gently, and Castle reluctantly placed the little girl back into her arms. Hunter immediately buried her head into Beckett's good shoulder, and the woman held her tightly.

"It's okay, Hun." She murmured, kissing her daughter's little forehead. "Daddy's only been home for a few days, don't you wanna spend time with him?" Hunter nodded, but she didn't show any sign of pulling away. "Don't you want to see Lexi?" Beckett continued, rubbing the little girl's back. In reply, she nodded again.

"Come on, sweetheart." Castle piped in, reaching for Hunter. She didn't try to escape his grasp as he pulled her onto his lap. "I promise we'll come back and visit again very soon." He said, pulling his daughter into his chest with one arm and pushing himself up with the other. He moved to kiss Beckett on the forehead, and she smiled gently as Hunter moved to copy her father.

"I'll see you soon?" She asked, and Castle smiled back at her.

"As soon as possible."

**AN: Sorry it took so long to update! I was away in Portland for LeakyCon with a friend, and then we went camping. This is more of just a filler chapter, but I hope you enjoyed! Reviews are always welcomed :)**


	11. Chapter 11

AN: HEY EVERYONE! I'm sooooooooo sorry that I haven't updated in so long, I've just been so incredibly busy and there's been an insane amount going on, please forgive me! Anyways, I'm sorry this chapter isn't the best, but I hope you enjoy!

He was greeted by a flash of strawberry blonde hair and a tight hug, and he broke into a wide smile.

"Hey, Alexis." He said gently, rubbing his eldest daughter's back. "How're you doing? Any particular reason for the squeezing half to death?" Alexis pulled away, keeping her hands around Castle's waist.

"I was just worried about you." She said, twisting to lean into her father's open arm. "Come on in." Pulling Alexis close, the two walked through the doorway together. He inhaled deeply, detecting the scent of freshly baked pie.

"It's apple. Your favorite." She moved from under his arm to across from him. "I'll grab you a slice."

"Thanks." Castle smiled, taking a seat on the white leather sofa. She smiled back at him, then moved into the kitchen across the apartment. God, he forgot how grown up his Alexis had gotten. Her once gangly, pale legs had long since become long and slender, her face less cute and more beautiful. When she held Hunter, she looked more like a mother and less of a proud big sister. It made Castle so happy, and yet still made his heart break a little bit each time he saw it.

The gentle clatter of a plate being placed on the coffee table pulled him from his reverie. "Thank you, Lex." He said, picking up the fork and sampling a piece of the pastry. His tongue was enveloped by the sweet, cinnamony, flaky taste. "Mmm. Perfect."

Alexis smiled gently, sitting beside her father and wrapping her arm around his. "How's Kate doing?" She asked, and Castle shrugged slightly.

"She's doing a lot better. The doctors said that there's no sign of complications from the surgery, and she can come home in the next few days."

"Do you when she can head back to work?" Alexis rested her head on his shoulder. "It must be killing her to just sit around in a hospital bed."

"Looks like at least few months, dependent on how the healing goes and how physical therapy goes." He sighed, pulling his eldest daughter closer to him. "It was a pretty bad injury, but Kate's tough. She doesn't show if she's hurting."

"I've missed you, Dad." Alexis said quietly, and Castle smiled, kissing her forehead gently.

"I've missed you too, Pumpkin." He murmured, and his smile faded slightly as the girl nestled closer into his chest. "Everything okay?"

"I've...I've been having nightmares again." The room fell silent as Castle looked in concern into Alexis's face.

"Oh, Lex, why didn't you tell me?" His father instincts began to take over as he pulled his daughter into a tight hug. "When did they start back up?"

"The night Kate got shot." Her voice was muffled, but Castle could tell that his little girl had been holding in some sort of emotion during the visit, and she was beginning to let it out. "I just kept thinking what if she died and then Hunter got kidnapped and then they couldn't find her and I can't let that happen Dad, because she's my only sister!" Tears had begun to dampen his shirt sleeve, and he rubbed her back softly, just like he had when she was a baby.

"Shhhh, Alexis, it's okay. Hunter's spending the day with Lanie, and when she's not with her or Ryan or Espo she's with one of us. Don't worry, the people who kidnapped you are gone."

"Could I please go see her?" The redhead sniffed, pulling her now slightly tear stained face out of her fathers shoulder and looking up at him. "It's alright if we can't, I know it'd be a hassle but-" Castle interrupted her, beginning to stand up from the sofa.

"Let's go."

-"-"-"-

"Hey." Lanie was smiling when she opened her apartment door. Hunter was resting on her hip, her arms wrapped around her honorary "aunt", and she looked as though she could fall asleep at any moment. Alexis's face broke into a look of utter elation, and she reached for her little sister. With out hesitation, the toddler reached out in response, and Alexis took her in her arms.

"Hi, baby bird." She cooed as Hunter buried her head in her shoulder. Castle smiled, and moved towards Lanie.

"Thank you for letting us come over here." He murmured, and the woman looked up at him, her face soft.

"Oh honey, you're welcome here whenever you want. Even when I don't have your daughter. You want some coffee?"

"Sure." He replied, and she lead him into her apartment. They moved into the kitchen, and she pressed a button on the brewer. The modernized room was almost silent, apart from the soft hiss of the machine. Through the doorway, Castle could see half of Alexis, sitting on a sofa in the living room. She was holding a half-asleep Hunter tightly to her chest with one arm, the other gently smoothing her soft, baby hair. She brought her lips to her little sister's forehead, and the little girl, in turn, nuzzled into Alexis's shoulder.

"Castle?" He blinked, and took the mug that Lanie offered him.

"Thanks." He said, and she tilted her head, taking a sip of her coffee.

"You've got two amazing girls there." She commented, leaning against the counter.

"I know." Castle murmured, not moving his gaze from his girls. "They're both missing Kate right now." He sighed heavily. "So am I." Lanie put her hand on his arm and rubbed it gently.

"At least she can come home soon, right?"

"Next few days. But she's going to be pretty immobile for a while."

"Better then being cooped up in a hospital room." She sighed, gulping down more of the hot liquid. "How are you handling everything?" He groaned quietly, running a hand through his hair.

"It's stressful, Lanie. I'm not going to lie." He began. "But all I want is for Kate to come home, and to see Hunter happy, and to show her that I'm a good father to her."

"Of course you are, Castle. And she knows it." The M.E. smiled, looking into the writer's eyes. "You're the father to her children. You raised Alexis. She knows that-"

"Children?" Castle interrupted, turning to face Lanie. "You don't know about..." The woman's eyes sparkled, and she squeezed his shoulder.

"Beckett told me yesterday." She smirked, placing her cup in the sink beside her. "I guessed first, actually." There was a look of slight concern traced on Castles face, and Lanie frowned, putting both hands on one of his. "What's wrong?"

"It's so much stress. For Kate." He placed his still half-full mug next to Lanie's. "She already has so much to deal with, with work, and now recovery, she doesn't need the stress of another child on top of everything. Hunter's still a challenge by herself."

"Hey, Rick. In case you didn't see before, Kate is an incredibly strong and passionate woman, and she has you to lean back on when she needs it." Lanie squeezed his hand in between hers. "Everything that happens in life has a purpose. It'll all make sense in the end."

AN: It's pretty OOC, and a bit angsty, but hey, it's all good...I hope. Some of you requested more Alexis, so I put a bit of her in here. I'm going to try and update sooner, again I'm so incredibly sorry about the wait! Reviews motivate me to write more, please review!

xoxo

J


	12. Chapter 12

AN: I'm so sorry it's been so long, everyone! This chapter took a long time, and it's a bit of a filler. Kind of jumpy, but I hope you all enjoy. Love you!

"I do not need a wheelchair, Castle." Beckett sighed, watching her husband try to maneuver a rather large wheelchair through a rather small doorway. "There's nothing wrong with my legs. I can walk down to the car."

"How the hell do you get this through here?" He muttered, ignoring Beckett's words. She groaned loudly, leaning against the back of the hospital bed. Her upper arm was strapped tightly against her body, and the rest of the arm was covered in plaster and bent into a sling. It wasn't very efficient, more like big and clunky, but it meant she could go home. The x-rays from the day before had shown that her shoulder had begun to heal, albeit slowly. As soon as the doctors determined that the bone was placed right, she began the countdown to when she could get back to her home. She knew that they had kept her longer then normal for the simple fact that she was pregnant, and they didn't want any extra stress to be placed on the baby. The baby. She sighed, placing her good hand on her abdomen. After she had found out, she noticed her bump growing progressively almost everyday, and it frightened her. But Beckett couldn't help but be excited. It was another baby, another little one with Castle's imagination and her stubbornness.

"Shit." She looked up to see Castle sucking his finger which he had just squished between the wall and the chair.

"Oh, Castle." Standing up from the bed, Beckett grabbed her suitcase with her good hand and moved to sit in the wheelchair. "For goodness sake, that wasn't that hard, was it?"

"No." He grumbled, and she moved her head to face him.

"I love you." She moved her lips to his, and he smiled gently.

"I love you too."

(/\)(/\)(/\)

She was so happy to be back in the loft. Sitting on the couch, breathing in the familiar, sweet scent of Castle's aftershave, her perfume, and multiple other scents that she could never put her finger on. It was her home. Home had never seemed so wonderful. Beckett adjusted herself slightly, and winced, feeling the twinge of pain in her shoulder. It was not going to be an easy road to recovery, she could tell. A creak on the stairs made her turn slowly, and she smiled brightly as she saw Castle approaching, holding Hunter tightly with one arm.

"Hey, baby girl." She said gently, her smile growing as he placed her daughter in her good arm. Hunter, looking still half-asleep, snuggled into her mother and clung onto her shirt tightly. "Did you have a good nap?"

"She didn't have much sleep last night." Castle murmured, sitting down next the girls and stroking Beckett's hair with a soft touch. "I told her you were coming home and she wouldn't lie down until around four."

"Silly girl." Beckett replied, holding Hunter close to her chest. "Would you like a little brother or sister, Hun?" The toddler didn't respond, only nuzzled her face into her mother's shoulder. She laughed, and kissed her daughter's forehead tenderly.

"Not sick at all, anymore." Castle said, nodding his head towards Hunter's deep breathing frame. "Her hair sure is getting long."

"We're not cutting it." The woman snapped, as kindly as she could muster. But Hunter's hair had always been a sensitive subject for her. Her soft, sweet smelling baby curls would be around forever, as far as Beckett was concerned.

_"I love it." She murmured, holding the baby close in her arms. Moving Hunter up to her face, she inhaled deeply and smiled as the sweet baby scent reached her nose. Castle smirked, leaning against the doorway of the bedroom and crossing his arms._

_"You're such a mom." He said, and Beckett looked up from her little girl to raise an eyebrow._

_"What is that supposed to mean, Richard?" Hunter fidgeted in her mothers arms, and the detective absentmindedly adjusted the baby so the two were both more comfortable. Castle's smirk grew, and he moved closer to the rocking chair that his wife was resting in._

_"It's really sweet, is what it means." He said, kissing her cheek. "Your favorite things are the little details." Beckett smiled, looking down at the little girl and running a hand over her soft baby curls._

_"Just look at her hair." She murmured, standing up and moving to stand next to her husband. "It's so soft and pretty and sweet." He put an arm around her and placed a gentle hand on Hunter's head, next to Beckett's._

_"You're hilarious, Kate." He moved his lips to hers quickly, making her smile grow. "But you are right, you know. Her hair is very soft. Just like yours."_

Hunter rolled over suddenly, placing her weight on her mother's bad shoulder. Beckett gasped, and in a second Castle was beside her, with the toddler in his arms and concern on his face.

"Are you hurting?" She shook her head, biting her lip and shutting her eyes tightly. Pain was radiating through her arm, and she could feel it getting hotter underneath her cast. "You are. You're hurting."

"I'm fine." She spat, gritting her teeth. The pain had started to die to a slight throb, and she opened her eyes, looking up at the two beside her. Hunter was staring, wide eyed, at her mother. She looked terrified, and it made Beckett heart drop to see her little girl look like that. She forced a smile, and reached out to take Hunter's soft hand. "She's scared, Rick." Castle looked down at his daughter, and, after seeing the look on her face, pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

"What's wrong, Hun?" He asked gently, and the little girl wrapped her arm around her father's.

"I hurted mommy." She whispered, tears appearing in the corner of her eyes.

"Oh, Hun, no." Beckett replied, reaching for her daughter. Castle placed Hunter back, very tenderly, into her good arm. "You didn't hurt me, baby. That side of my body is just really sore right now."

"It hurts?" She nodded, a sad smile playing around her lips.

"Yes. But I'm okay." Hunter looked up at her, and suddenly a pair of little arms had been flung around Beckett's neck. She looked up at Castle, who, even though there was still an expression of concern on his face, was smiling at the two. Moving her gaze back down to Hunter, she began to rub her back with a soft hand.

"I love you, Mommy." The toddler murmured, her voice muffled into Beckett's chest.

"I love you too, button." The detective whispered, kissing her little head and pulling her close with one arm. She had missed being with her baby girl. She was growing up so fast.

(/\)(/\)(/\)

She wasn't used to it being quiet during the night. The silence was uninterrupted, no beeping or rattling of stretchers rolling by. And she was finally lying beside her husband. Of course, she still had multiple pillows stuffed under her arm, which was throbbing like crazy, but it was still better then lying in a hospital bed, alone. She could relax, finally. She could make herself breakfast. Hell, she could eat something that didn't look like melted yellow crayons. She could concentrate on family, whether it was Hunter, or Castle, or the new little one currently pushing on her bladder. Sure, she wanted to get back into work and be able to be one of New York's finest once again. But, for the time being, she had her family. And that was all that she needed.

AN: Let me know what you all thought of this, reviews make me write faster and give me inspiration! Also, let me know what you would like to see in this story. Love you!

xoxo,

J


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